Jointed rule.



PATENTED FEB. e, 1906. 1). J. BRENNAN. JOINTED RULE. APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1905.

lia /22 507? UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE DENNIS J. BRENNAN, OF SHENANDOAH, PENNSYLVANIA. JOINTED RULE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Appli filed September 29, 1905. Serial No. 280,612.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DENNIS J. BRENNAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shenandoah, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Jointed Rules, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in a carpenters jointed rule, and has for its object to provide a rule which when inserted in the pocket will tend to frictionally engage the sides of the pocket with a yielding pressure, so as to prevent the rule from accidentally falling from the pocket when the position of the latter is inverted or substantially inverted, which occurs frequently in putting on and removing the overalls and by reasons of certain positions which the workman has frequently to assume in the ordinary course of his Work.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an inner edge view of a j ointed' rule which has been partially opened. 2 is a side view in broken sectional elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the preferred form of spring employed. Fig. 4 is a side view, in broken sectional elevation, illustrating a modified construction; and Fig. 5 shows the application of a rule provided with my improvement on a pocket to illustrate the manner in which the rule is prevented from falling from the pocket.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that my invention is shown applied to an ordinary carpenters rule comprising four sections, two of which, 1 2, are united at their ends by a rule-joint 3 and the other two, 4 5, being hinged at their inner ends to the outer ends of the sections 1 and 2, as usual. My invention is applied at the rule-joint 3 and consists, essentially, in forming in the inner edge of one of the sectionssay 1adjacent to the rule-joint a recess 6 and in securing on the said inner edge beyond said recess one end of a leaf-spring 7, the inner free end portion 8 of which is located above said recess and is of less width thanthe remaining portion of the spring, as shown, to enable it to enter said recess in the operation of the device. The inner -end of said leaf-sprin is bent over or curled upon itself to provi e a projection 9,which, as shown, extends a considerable distance beyond the inner edge of the rule. It will be clearly seen that should spring and engage the sides of the pocketat' I t e bottom thereof, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5, and thus the rule will be prevented from falling from the pocket under any ordinary circumstances. The spring 7 is let into the wood of section 1 so as to he flush with the inner edge thereof to present a smooth surface and permit the sections 1 2 to be folded together as usual. As indicated in the drawings, the recess 6 is provided by cutting away the wood from between the side plates 10 and 11, forming op osite side mem bers of the rule-joint, and t us the reduced ortion 8 of the spring will work in the space lietween the side plates.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a modification in which the free reduced endportion of the spring is straight or flat, and a projection 12 is provided by cutting away a ortion of the perimeter of the circular hea 13, which is pivotally mounted between the side plates 10 1 1, the projection 12 having thus a portion of the said head lying in advance or beyond the inner edge of the section 2. When the sections 1 and 2 are brought together, the proj ection 12 will engage the free ends of the spring 7 and press the same into the recess 6, so that the said spring will tend to press the sections 1 and 2 apart when released, as in the previous instance.

It will be seen that my invention is very simple and presents no obstruction to the ordinary use of the rule. In fact, the presence of my improvement on a rule is scarcely noticeable except when it is attempted to fold the parts of the rule together. Especially is this true with reference to the construction therefore, I prefer the construction of Fig. 1. In both constructions, however, the spring presents a smooth surface and reduces the Wear and tear on the arts coming in contact to the minimum. hould dirt accumulate under the s ring, the free end of the latter can be lifted by the use of any pointed article and the dirt cleaned out.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A jointed rule having a spring interposed between two of its jointed sections tending normally when the rule is closed to press said sections apart.

2. A jointed rule having a spring carried by one of two jointed sections and tending normally when the rule is closed to press said sections apart.

3. A jointed rule having one of two jointed sections provided with a recess, a spring secured on the inner edge of said section and having a free end portion working in said recess, and a projection havin its outer edge lying between said spring an the inner edge of the other section when the rule is closed and being carried by the other of said sections, whereby when said sections are closed the spring will be depressed.

4. A jointed rule having one of two jointed sections provided with a recess, a spring secured to the inner edge of said section and having a free end,port1on working in said recess and provided with a projection extending beyond the inner edge of said section whereby when said sections are folded together the spring will be depressed by contact of the second section with said projection.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

DENNIS J. BRENNAN. Witnesses:

P. H. BURKE, WM. J. BRENNAN. 

